German course

Lesson 102 of 240

New here? This is lesson 102 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Come in, go out in German

Priya reaches the Hinterhaus courtyard. Herr Schulze is not on the landing. Anton already occupies two chairs, as if the Hof were the bakery.

You'll say who came in, who went out, who went up or down, and you'll invite a friend inside.

These lines use sein, not haben. Keep Komm doch rein for friends; strangers still get the Sie form from earlier.

By the end of this lesson

Say someone came in, went out, or went up, and invite a friend in.

  • Sie ist reingekommen.She came in.
  • Er ist rausgegangen.He went out.
  • Ich bin hochgegangen.I went up.
  • Er ist runtergekommen.He came down.
  • Komm doch rein!Come on in!
  • Sie ist mitgekommen.She came along.

Scene — the courtyard

The Hinterhof is quiet. Bikes lean on cobbles, and ivy hides the back wall. Anton has pulled two chairs together near the stairwell.

Priya looks up the worn stairs. Herr Schulze's clipboard is gone. Jule is still on the pavement outside.

Priya stands in the gateway while Jule waits outside and Anton sits by the stairwell.

Learn — in, out, up, down

Six lines cover coming in, going out, going up, coming down, and inviting a friend in.

You'll also say that someone came along with you.

  1. Anton welcomes Priya as she steps into the courtyard.

    Sie ist reingekommen.

    She came in.

    When to use it: Use this after a woman has come inside.

    Coming and going take sein, not haben.

  2. Herr Schulze comes down the worn stairs into the courtyard.

    Er ist rausgegangen.

    He went out.

    When to use it: Use this after a man has left the building.

    The prefix stays stuck on this past form.

  3. Priya goes up the stairs as Herr Schulze comes down, and they pass each other.

    Ich bin hochgegangen.

    I went up.

    When to use it: Say this after you have gone upstairs.

    Going up takes sein, so you use bin, not habe.

    Say it: The ch in hoch is the back sound, as in ach.

  4. Herr Schulze walks out through the courtyard arch as Anton watches.

    Er ist runtergekommen.

    He came down.

    When to use it: Use this after a man has come downstairs.

    Runter means down, not out of the building.

  5. Priya beckons Jule in from the pavement outside the courtyard.

    Komm doch rein!

    Come on in!

    When to use it: Invite a friend inside this way, not a stranger.

    The prefix rein sits at the end of the clause.

  6. Anton turns toward Jule as she steps into the courtyard.

    Sie ist mitgekommen.

    She came along.

    When to use it: Use this when a woman came along with someone.

    In the present this splits; in this past form it stays one word.

Story — schulze has gone

Watch Priya in the courtyard after Herr Schulze has left. Anton has already taken both chairs.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Priya stands in the gateway. Jule is still on the pavement with her headphones.
  2. PriyaMöchtest du mitkommen?Do you want to come along?
  3. JuleJa, gern.Yes, gladly.
  4. Priya steps onto the cobbles. Anton has already taken both chairs.
  5. AntonKomm doch rein!Come on in!
  6. Priya glances up the empty stairwell.
  7. PriyaEr ist runtergekommen.He came down.
  8. AntonUnd dann?And then?
  9. PriyaIch bin hochgegangen.I went up.
  10. They must have passed on the stairs.
  11. AntonUnd Herr Schulze?And Herr Schulze?
  12. PriyaEr ist rausgegangen.He went out.
  13. Jule finally steps in from the street.
  14. AntonSie ist reingekommen.She came in.
  15. PriyaSie ist mitgekommen.She came along.
  16. On the third-floor landing Priya opens her door.
  17. PriyaKommen Sie rein.Come in.
  18. JuleDu, nicht Sie.Du, not Sie.
  19. PriyaKomm doch rein!Come on in!

Practice — who went where

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, build, fill a gap, and swap a word.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Sie ist reingekommen.Drop the English here
    Er ist rausgegangen.Drop the English here
    Ich bin hochgegangen.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    A friend is at the Hof door. Invite her in, the informal way.

  4. Fill the gap

    He went out.

    Er ____ rausgegangen.

  5. Build the line

    I went up.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. What does it mean?

    Er ist runtergekommen.

  7. Swap the word

    Jule did not only come in; she came along with you.

    Sie ist ____.

  8. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Er ist rausgegangen.

    He went out.

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    Invite a new neighbour in. You have just met, so stay polite.

  10. What do you say?

    You want Jule to come upstairs with you. Ask her.

Say it — tell who moved

Now you're Priya in the courtyard. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. AntonWar Herr Schulze noch oben?Was Herr Schulze still upstairs?
  2. Priya (you)Tell him he came downstairs.

    Er ist runtergekommen.

    He came down.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Sie ist reingekommen.She came in.
Er ist rausgegangen.He went out.
Ich bin hochgegangen.I went up.
Er ist runtergekommen.He came down.
Komm doch rein!Come on in!
Sie ist mitgekommen.She came along.
Next: lesson 103Rent a shared bike

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps in, out, up and down ready.

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